The memo concerns a conversation that McCabe had with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein about Rosenstein's preparations for Comey's firing. Mr. Rosenstein played a key role in the dismissal, writing a memo that rebuked Mr. Comey over his handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton.

In the confidential memo, McCabe described a conversation he had with the deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice, in which the pair discussed another memo criticising Comey, according to a source quoted by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Even before the allegations against him, McCabe had become a lightning rod in the political battles over the Federal Bureau of Investigation and special counsel Robert Mueller III's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Any indications that the president was in fact motivated by the Russian Federation investigation to act against Comey could fuel the obstruction of justice component of Mueller's probe. "Both the OIG and FBI OPR reports concluded that Mr. McCabe had made an unauthorized disclosure to the news media and lacked candor - including under oath - on multiple occasions", Sessions said in a statement. There is no evidence to suggest however, that Halper was inserted into the Trump campaign, as the president has suggested.

Comey has said that even though he feels "mildly nauseous" that his announcement may have impacted the election, he doesn't regret sending the letters.

"So, you got a group there, a lynching mob, so let them do their job and, boy, we're ready to knock the heck out of you with our report, which will be authoritative", Giuliani said. Still, one consideration lingers: It takes an wonderful level of shamelessness to say something on national TV, then act like it never happened.

"He fired Comey because Comey would not, among other things, say that he wasn't a target of the investigation", Giuliani said.

Wikileaks posted an email Kadzik, then a DOJ official, sent to Podesta, the chair of Clinton's campaign, in May 2015, flagging an upcoming hearing where a DOJ official would be testifying and was "likely to get questions on State Department emails".

Putin critic Bill Browder arrested
In December, a Moscow court sentenced Browder to nine years in prison in absentia on charges of tax evasion and funneling money overseas.

Body found of veteran swept away in Maryland flooding
Kittleman said he is in his 40s and does not live in the historic district, but he did not identify him further. After floods devastated Ellicott City in 2016, killing two people, it was called a "once in 1,000 years flood".

Ireland votes resoundingly to repeal abortion ban
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Cavs say Kevin Love out for Game 7
I'll do the same all day [Saturday] from before we leave to go to Boston, and then once we get into Boston I'll do that as well. Now, his focus turns to Game 7 and what he'll do to get ready, especially with teammate Kevin Love potentially sidelined.

The summit's back on: Trump meets NKorea at White House
Trump says his meeting with the most senior North Korean to visit the White House in 18 years lasted longer than expected. Trump told reporters he hadn't read the letter yet and added with a smile, "I may be in for a big surprise, folks".